Keeping up with an entire industry is a daunting task; the constant onslaught of social media posts, news updates, & industry peer topics-of-the-day is like an unending firehose of information. But fear not: becoming your company’s industry hero is within your reach.
If you’re thinking to yourself “why do I need to know what’s hot and what’s not?” Regardless of your specific role, staying ahead of the pack and collaborating across departments/colleagues will benefit your entire organization. By keeping tabs on the latest trends, challenges, and developments in your industry, you’ll be able to:
And that’s just a few examples – the benefits spread across every department.
So don’t be left in the dark — become your company’s industry expert with just a few simple tips and strategies.
1. Stay Ahead of the Game with Google Alerts for Titles
Setting up Google alerts for specific job titles will inform you when people with those titles are mentioned in the news; sales and BDRs can use the specific companies or prospects mentioned in personalized outreach. Likewise, marketing and product can learn about the industry experts’ top concerns and strategize accordingly.
2. Stay Ahead of the Competition with Google Alerts for Industry and Competitor News
Keeping an eye on your competition and staying informed about the latest developments in your industry will benefit the sales, marketing, product and executive departments, by ensuring your company is aligning with what similar companies are focusing on in their messaging. Anticipate market changes and adjust business objectives in real time by automating updates collectively.
3. Streamline Your Industry Research with Podcast, Blog and Forum Aggregation
When it comes to industry trends and developments, searching multiple sources is a pain. Save yourself the trouble by aggregating industry podcasts, blogs, and forums into a single location and feed. Feedly, for example, will incorporate all blogs, podcasts, forums and newsletters based on the industry and keywords provided. Not only will this save time and resources, but it’ll also help you stay updated on the latest thought leadership and best practices in your industry,
4. Unlock the Power of Reddit Subreddits
With industry specific subreddits, you’ll have the opportunity to absorb trends, developments, and challenges directly from end users. If you’d like, create a username for your company and participate in the discussion instead of just reading it.
5. Join the Conversation on Discord Servers
Join the conversation and stay ahead of the game by participating in relevant industry Discord servers. LIke Reddit, you can both stay up to date with the challenges industry peers are discussing, and participate yourself. Discord servers also can provide the opportunity to connect with other industry professionals.
6. Get Connected with Industry Professionals through Online Communities
(Platforms, Forums, Google Groups, Slack Workspaces etc.)
Dedicated online communities offer a range of resources, like topic specific interest groups and channels, specialized learning tracks and industry mentorship hubs. These exist across multiples online, including but not limited to: online forums, Slack workspaces, Google Groups, or a blend of multiple options. These online communities, such as Pavilion, differ from anonymous platforms like Discord and Reddit. By participating in industry-specific online communities, either public or private, you can stay current with industry trends, engage in discussions with end-users, and stay abreast of competitors. Moreover, these communities and workspaces offer exceptional opportunities for networking, forging relationships, and even uncovering sales prospects.
7. Monitor Industry or Career Specific Hashtags on LinkedIn and Twitter
Take advantage of the wealth of information provided through hashtags on LinkedIn and Twitter. Similar to Google Alerts, you’ll be constantly up to speed with all things new and breaking in your industry, but with hashtags, you can also find industry thought leaders to follow directly. Naturally, you’ll also be able to network with individuals who are posting content relevant to your company and industry.
8. Follow Industry Wide Trends and Target Company Priorities through Hiring Updates
Stay abreast of hiring trends in your industry, both generally and for specific companies. This will give you a clear understanding of industry-wide changes and provide valuable insights into the current priorities and goals of companies of interest. Keeping up with hiring trends can benefit departments such as sales, marketing, and product management. Sales and marketing can tailor their messaging to align with what a company is looking for, while product management can use consistent, yet unexpected hiring trends to guide product updates and roadmap planning.
Suggested Websites and Key Title Alerts: Glassdoor, Indeed and Linkedin Job Alerts for any title with the words “Rev Ops”, “Deal Desk”, “Revenue Operations”, “Sales Operations”, “SalesOps”, “RevOps”; for more focused alerts from only tech./software//SaaS companies, consider sites like Dice or TechCareers